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Becoming an advocate for responsible management education
The University of Sydney Business School Sharing Information on Progress Report 2016-2017
Contents
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Letter from the Dean 1
The University of Sydney 2
The University of Sydney Business School 3
Principle 1: Purpose 7
Principle 2: Values 8
Principle 3: Method 10
Principle 4: Research 19
Principle 5: Partnerships 31
Principle 6: Dialogue 36 Organisational practices 45
A word from the Dean
The University of Sydney Business School’s commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative reflects our drive to build awareness of, illuminate, and suggest responses to, the emerging opportunities, problems and challenges that will feature in current and future business environments. We will be a business school that is socially conscious and committed to making people’s lives better, helping business be a force for good and a champion of diversity, sustainability and ethical decision making.
By making an explicit pledge like this, we have a constant reminder of our objectives as business educators and an opportunity to reflect on what each of the principles mean to us.
We think a business school should ask students to question the roles and responsibilities of business, and explore the ways that business can be a major part of the solution to public problems such as sustainability, climate change and poverty.
This requires students to ask themselves: “What am I trying to achieve?” “What kind of difference do I want to make?” “And what kind of organisation – with what kind of values and higher purpose – do I want to work for?”
In this, our first Sharing Information on Progress report, we have showcased a selection of existing initiatives we engage in under the banner of responsible management education. We will continue to use the PRME platform as an opportunity to champion much needed change, and to transform the narrative of traditional business and management education today in order to develop the responsible business leaders of tomorrow.
Greg WhitwellDean, the University of Sydney Business School
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The University of Sydney The University of Sydney at a glance in 2017
67,700 total enrolments
24,900 international enrolments
300,000
alumni in 170+ countries
8,307 staff (full-time equivalent)
12 Faculties and Schools
16.4:1 student:staff ratio
250+ exchange opportunities in
40+ countries
90+ research and teaching
centres
12 ARC Centres of Excellence
15 Cooperative Research
Centres (CRC)
$335 million HERDC research income
(2016)
40+ sporting clubs
200+ clubs and societies
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The University of Sydney Business School
Our mission
− Provide a transformative educational experience that prepares students for the future;
− Conduct and disseminate research that has an impact and provides us with an influential voice; and
− Build respectful and mutually beneficial relationships to generate knowledge-exchange partnerships
13,891 total enrolments in the Business School.
The Business School’s students come from
over 80 countries across the world and
speak over 90 languages.
The Business School has seen over
21,000 students complete our programs since 2007. They contribute
to forming a 64,000+ network of Business School alumni located in more
than 120 countries around the world.
Facts and figures 5 Undergraduate programs
− Bachelor of Commerce − Bachelor of Commerce
and Bachelor of Commerce Advanced Studies
− Bachelor of Commerce combined with Bachelor of Law
− Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Dalyell Scholars)
− Honours program
5 Graduate management programs2 pre-experience:
− Master of Management − Master of Management (CEMS)
3 post-experience: − part-time MBA − new full-time MBA − Global Executive MBA
2 Research programs − Master of Philosophy − Doctor of Philosophy
7 Graduate specialised programs − Master of Commerce − Master of Human
Resource Management and Industrial Relations
− Master of International Business − Master of Logistics and
Supply Chain Management − Master of Marketing − Master of
Professional Accounting − Master of
Transport Management
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In 2016, the University of Sydney Business School became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). PRME is a United Nations-supported initiative that provides a platform to raise the profile of sustainability in schools around the world, and to equip today's business students with the understanding and ability to deliver change tomorrow.
The University of Sydney Business SchoolPrinciples for Responsible Management Education
As a voluntary initiative with over 650 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organised relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions.
Working through Six Principles, PRME engages business and management schools to ensure they provide future leaders with the skills needed to balance economic and sustainability goals, while drawing attention to the Sustainable Development Goals and aligning academic institutions with the work of the UN Global Compact.
Research, educational and extra-curricular activities showcased within this report, have been linked to the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to demonstrate the Business School’s commitment to the initiatives mission.
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We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.
The University of Sydney Business School’s 2016-2020 statement of strategic intent, ‘Business Not As Usual’ (‘the Strategy’), outlined a vision of “a School that helps to create a society that has, in some critical ways, different mindsets and different practices to what currently exist.” (Whitwell, G. Our Strategic Intent 2016-2020: Business Not As Usual, 2015, p.1)
The Strategy signalled the intent for the Business School to become an influential voice on major issues and trends, and pointed to the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, as key examples of major issues upon which to focus.The Strategy also questioned the traditional role of a business school and argued for the University of Sydney Business School to be an advocate for responsible management education by critically examining what the purpose of business should be and questioning the status quo. By joining PRME in February 2016, the Business School made an explicit commitment to ensuring that it upholds and exemplifies the six principles.
For this first Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) report, the Business School formed a core project team of two Academic Leads (Dr Anna Young-Ferris and Professor Sandra van der Laan) and a project officer (Ms Katy McEwen). The project team called for expressions of interest from staff in the Business School who were contributing in terms of research,educational or extra-curricular activities to the PRME principles and the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. This first SIP report aims to showcase a selection of key examples of how the School is committed to the six principles, and sets out a number of key objectives and goals for 2018-2019.
In 2018-2019 we will: − Ensure that the decisions we make reflect our
values, and that the way we interact with and communicate about students reflect our values;
− Conduct a curriculum mapping exercise to allow us to assess the extent of integration of PRME principles in our programs, courses and individual Units of Study;
− Initiate a faculty development program to facilitate developing the capabilities of our staff in embedding PRME principles in both learning environments and curriculum;
− Develop a webpage showcasing our research and research students, organised in alignment with PRME principles and SDGs rather than by disciplinary expertise;
− Encourage research aligned with PRME principles and SDGs by developing support programs that prioritise these;
− Develop indicators to measure the impact of our PRME related research beyond traditional academic measures (e.g. citations);
− Continue to strengthen our existing partnerships and look to forge new partnerships with organisations that can challenge our students on issues relating to the PRME principles and the SDGs;
− Continue to build on the success of Sydney Business Insights, and to look at fundamentally new ways of researching and understanding the future; and
− Offer support to student clubs and societies which centre on PRME related issues.
Principle 1: Purpose
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Principle 2: Values
The University of Sydney, of which the University of Sydney Business School is a part, espouses the following values: courage and creativity, respect and integrity, inclusion and diversity, and openness and engagement.
The Business School is working towards creating a culture built on our values.
Culture survey The University undertook a culture survey in late 2017 in order to gain a sense of attitudes and views on some critical cultural issues at the University, such as our workplace attitudes and behaviours in relation to accountability, integrity, leadership, and the quality of both our work and our relationships at work.
At the time of writing, the survey results had not been released, however it is expected that the findings will help to drive further positive culture change for the University.
Culture taskforceMeeting monthly, this joint initiative of the University Executive and the Academic Board champions and advises on the best way to effect cultural change at the University. The taskforce brings together 15 members of the University community, representing a range of faculties, backgrounds and perspectives.
We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact
Associate Professor Jennifer Barrett, Director of Culture Strategy at the University of Sydney.Pa
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Global social responsibility in action: Effective Altruism USYDBy Sophia Cyna, former President, Effective Altruism USYDEffective Altruism USYD is a student society based around the Oxford-founded global social movement to use reason and evidence to work out how to have the largest social impact over one’s lifetime. Effective Altruism USYD aims to inspire students to care about their impact on the world, inspire students to critically think about different ways to have an impact with their resources, and point students towards resources and the latest research in this space.
In 2016 Effective Altruism USYD ran a conference which aimed to inspire attendees and inform them on how to think carefully about how they could have the greatest social impact possible over one’s lifetime, and act on one’s best guess of what will have the greatest social impact. The conference was sponsored by the Business School and featured high profile speakers such as Helen Szoke, CEO of Oxfam Australia, Dr Stewart Condon, President of Medecins San Frontieres Australia, Benjamin Todd, CEO of 80,000 hours, humanitarian lawyer Julian Burnside and policy expert and economist Eva Vivalt.
Our commitment to progressThe Business School will continue to embed the University values into our activities. We will develop a culture strategy specific to the Business School, and as part of this we will implement a Professional Staff Leadership Initiative, aimed at building foundational HR and people-related processes and activities for our professional staff.
We will ensure that the decisions we make reflect our values, and that the way we interact with and communicate about students reflect our values.
Photo (below): Left to right; Humanitarian lawyer Julian Burnside, CEO of Oxfam Australia Helen Szoke, President of Medecins San Frontieres Dr Stewart Condon, President of Effective Altruism Australia Dr Bridget Williams and CEO of 80,000 Hours Benjamin Todd.
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Principle 3: Method
Consistent with the mission of PRME to “transform management education, research and thought leadership globally by providing the Principles for Responsible Management Education framework, developing learning communities and promoting awareness about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals”, the University of Sydney Business School as a core component of its ‘Business Not as Usual’ strategy (outlined above) is committed to providing a transformative learning experience for all its students.
This transformational learning experience has two key aspects that must work together. First is the educational philosophy that underpins our mission. This has entailed a rethinking of our delivery models and disrupting traditional passive learning technologies to embrace more active ones; ‘flipping’ classrooms; and increasing engagement and experiential learning opportunities. Second, is the material and content that students are exposed to through curriculum developed and assessment practices.
The University of Sydney Business School is committed to exposing students and staff to ‘wicked’ or pernicious problems and novel ways of approaching such problems (e.g. design thinking methods).
We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.
At the same time, the University of Sydney has embarked on an ambitious strategy to create a distinctive educational experience (focusing in the first instance on undergraduate programs) that has as its centrepiece the concept of UNLEARN.
− sydney.edu.au/unlearn/home.html
To complement this, the ‘graduate qualities’ for University of Sydney students have also been reimagined.
The graduate qualities are designed to equip students with personal resilience to deal with uncertainty and failure, and the sureness of personal values and clarity of social purpose to lead ethical responses to whatever challenges confront them and their communities. They also provide the foundations for informed, well-judged and positive contributions to society, both in the workplace and the community at large, as well as being the foundations for longer-term intellectual and professional leadership. In combination, these qualities will enable the University’s graduates to envision – and lead in bringing about – ways of doing things that are more effective, more humane, more just, more productive and more sustainable.
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These graduate qualities resonate with the PRME mission and values and are summarised below.
Graduate Quality Purpose
Broader skills:
− Critical thinking and problem solving − Communication (oral and written) − Information/ digital literacy − Inventiveness
To increase the impact of expertise, and to learn and respond effectively and creatively to novel problems
Depth of disciplinary expertise To excel at applying and continuing to develop disciplinary expertise
Cultural competence To work productively, collaboratively and openly in diverse groups and across cultural boundaries
Interdisciplinary effectiveness To work effectively in interdisciplinary (including inter-professional) settings and to build broader perspective, innovative vision, and more contextualised and systemic forms of understanding
An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity To build integrity, confidence and personal resilience, and the capacities to manage challenges and uncertainty
Influence To be effective in exercising professional and social responsibility and making a positive contribution to society
While transforming the educational experience is in its early stages at the Business School, and we are yet to demonstrate the coherence of the aspirational goals of our strategy, the University of Sydney Business School has made significant progress since becoming a PRME signatory.
Many of our units of study are infused with ideas that coalesce with the broader ideals of learning experiences that foreground responsible leadership. In order to provide a flavour of our achievements to date, we have clustered examples of our efforts in programs and of staff to embrace the PRME principles around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many of the examples here show contributions to a number of SDGs, however the key SDG addressed in the unit of study is prioritised. Pr
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No povertyIn 2014 Associate Professor Ranjit Voola developed a new unit of study for the Business School’s Masters of Management program titled ‘Poverty Alleviation and Profitability’. The unit takes a macro approach, questioning the purpose of business, discussing how the SDGs redefine the role of business in social issues, and presenting relevant academic theories such as ‘Creating Shared Value’ and ‘Base of the Pyramid’.
The unit has been shaped by knowledge gained through attendance at the UN Global Compact Leaders’ Summit in New York. Anecdotal evidence from students as well as the preliminary findings of on-going formal research illustrates some fundamental changes in student values and career aspirations after taking the unit. Building on the work achieved through the unit, the University has developed a MOOC/SPOC on the SDGs and business. You can watch a short video about the ‘Poverty Alleviation and Profitability’ unit here:
− www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4HZN9Tr6dU
and find further information here: − sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2017/04/06/
on-my-mind.html
Associate Professor Ranjit Voola
Method Embracing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
Below is a showcase of how the efforts in our programs and of our staff align with the Sustainable Development Goals. Each example sits under one of the seventeen SDGs.
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How one class at the University of Sydney opened my eyes to my dream career pathWritten by Mike den Hartog
Like many students, after completing my undergraduate degree in Business Management in the UK, I still felt rather clueless as to what direction I wanted to go with my career. As a business student the usual paths lie with consulting, banking or working for an FMCG company, however these options never really appealed to me.
Upon commencing my CEMS Master’s in Management degree at the University of Sydney, I was immediately drawn to Poverty Alleviation and Profitability. Taught by Dr Ranjit Voola, the class was inspiring from day 1. Having lived in less economically developed countries for the majority of my life, a whole new world opened up for me when realising the potential businesses had in contributing towards poverty alleviation. As the semester flew by, it was this one unit that I always kept thinking of when evaluating my future career path.
Fast forward one year, and I have now graduated from my CEMS and have started working for the United Nations in Bangkok. As a consultant for the UN Capital Development Fund I am working hard to improve the economic prosperity for those living at the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP). For those living at the BOP it is very difficult to obtain any sort of fair and/or affordable loans that would help their business, which is where I come in and explore the opportunities to help those living at the BOP get access to micro loans.
The second issue I am working on is empowering women in business – not top level CEOs, but women living in poverty. In many of the Asia Pacific countries, men still have opportunities not afforded to women, which unfortunately does not help with the economic sustainability of those living at the BOP.
Many of the things I see in my day to day work are not new to me, because they are concepts that I learned about in the Poverty Alleviation Unit. This has allowed me to become more efficient at work and ultimately make a greater impact in my efforts to help those that are less fortunate.
Whilst my consultancy at the UN will end in January 2018, I will continue following my dream career path with Balloon Ventures in Uganda, where I will be working with local entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and not only become more economically stable themselves, but to also allow them to in turn contribute towards the economic sustainability of the town.
Mike den Hartog
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Gender equalityOur Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies which runs majors in management, industrial relations and human resource management have ‘mainstreamed’ gender issues. In doing so, the Discipline regards gender, ageing and flexibility issues as fundamental to the world of work and prioritises these inter-relationships which effect both economic and social life.
Decent work and economic growthIn INFS6022 Systemic Sustainable Development Professor Steve Elliot engages students comprehensively and critically with the challenges and opportunities presented to businesses by the United Nation’s agenda of sustainable development. As this UN agenda outlines a systemic development concept for the period 2016-2030 covering four critical dimensions: economic development, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and good governance, the key idea of this framework is the necessity to mobilise all major stakeholders in the public and private sectors in order to achieve a transition from ‘business-as-usual’ thinking towards a sustainable development path. Business has a critical role to play in this process. It is the principal engine for economic growth and job creation as well as the principal consumer of natural resources. Importantly, businesses will have to develop and deliver many of the new technologies, organisational models, and management systems required for this transition.
In this unit of study, students analyse how business leaders and managers can transform their companies towards systemic sustainable development. Students also learn to apply relevant theoretical frameworks based on the practices of pioneering companies and to critically analyse the feasibility of the UN agenda in light of the competitive nature of business.
Professor Steve Elliot
Industry, innovation and infrastructureThe Business School runs two units of study that are social enterprise projects as part of the Remote and Rural Enterprise (RARE) program (IBUS6016 and IBUS3108). Social entrepreneurs use business principles to achieve social objectives such as poverty alleviation, improved health outcomes and reduced inequalities. A social enterprise is any organisation whose primary objective is its social mission, but whose means to achieving that objective is revenue generation rather than a reliance on donors. In these units, we teach students business principles required to enact social change. This is a learning-by-doing unit in which each student works on a live project for a social enterprise. In 2017, student groups have focused on two projects. (1) They are developing a housing solution for indigenous people living in remote rural areas (where there is a chronic undersupply of housing). They are helping to create a unique operational model which provides underemployed indigenous people in the Eden region of NSW the opportunity to develop their capabilities by building tiny homes which they can then purchase to live in at cost-price. The community can then rent or on-sell these tiny homes for a profit to people across Australia. (2) Students are also working with an aboriginal corporation in Maningrida (NT) to find a way to support local entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, in effect providing jobs to local residents. Most groups working on this project are advocating for the creation of an entrepreneurial hub which aims to support and help grow local businesses within Maningrida.
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Associate Professor Betina Szkudlarek
Reduced inequalitiesAssociate Professor Betina Szkudlarek teaches a number of units in International Business and the Master of Management where she challenges students to understand and tackle the issues of discrimination and inequality throughout the unit. One of her core activities is a simulation that allows students to experience the notions of privilege, discrimination and oppression. Through the simulation students discuss their own privileged position and what it means for their future responsibilities as leaders, managers and global citizens.
Dr Anna Young-Ferris Dr Tanya Fiedler
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Responsible consumption and productionIn ACCT2012 Management Accounting A, the teaching team of Dr Tanya Fiedler, Dr Vijaya Murthy and Dr Anna Young-Ferris use a presentation assessment task (worth 5% of the total assessment mark) where students are expected to illustrate and critically analyse the use of management accounting and its relationship to a ‘sustainability’ case study provided. The students must be able to explain the management accounting topic and explain its relevance to the sustainability issue. They must be able to illustrate how the relevant management accounting concepts and/or tools have been deployed and applied to the sustainability context in practice. Students in the class audience are also required to engage with the presenters and ask critical questions.
The best presentations are those that draw information and apply the appropriate tools, while demonstrating the sustainability and financial benefits of the case. For example, in the flexible budgeting and variance analysis topic, students have effectively demonstrated cost savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the airline industry through sourcing more sustainable jet fuel, reducing weight of inflight magazines and participating in carbon offset programs, via variance analysis.
Climate actionProfessor Chris Wright teaches the unit WORK6033 Organisational Sustainability. As organisational sustainability is a critical part of contemporary managerial practice, the unit focuses on an organisations’ economic, social and environmental impact. Students critically evaluate the intentions, practices and outcomes of organisational sustainability initiatives. By applying relevant theoretical frameworks, students are encouraged to enhance their understanding of the role and responsibilities of management, the impact of organisations on employees, and the wider societal and environmental implications of contemporary organisational trends. With an emphasis on the human dimensions of organisational actions, this unit builds on foundational units of study in Management, Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.
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Peace, justice and strong institutionsDr Cary di Lernia teaches a business law unit, CLAW 3209 The Environment, Law and Business. In this unit he explores the relationship between the natural environment and business practice is deep and complex, and a multiplicity of regulatory initiatives have been employed in an attempt to manage and influence their interaction. This unit of study aims to demystify environmental regulation as far as it is relevant to the running of a business. It begins with an analysis of the contemporary institutional framework surrounding the interaction between business and the environment with particular reference to the historical conditions which have given rise to it, before introducing major stakeholders in the development of environmental and business regulation (including nation states, international organisations and other non-state actors) and their respective roles. The unit then discusses international environmental regulation and situates Australian regulation within it in order to explain its impact on Australian businesses. The effectiveness of different regulatory styles in this area is assessed together with the argument that business can and should take ownership of problematic elements of their interactions with the natural environment. Different strategies developed to manage a business relationship with the environment and issues surrounding liability for environmental damage are also considered.
Partnerships for the goalsAssociate Professor Betina Szkudlarek, Dr Dan Caprar and Dr James Rooney facilitate the Thrive project. This project brings together students and refugees who work jointly on a business plan that will allow refugees to gain access to microfinancing from Thrive/Westpac. In this project, the project leaders try to capitalise on their research experience in contributing to positive workforce integration outcomes for refugees. Moreover, the project supports collaborative efforts between the industry, NGO, and University of Sydney in addressing an important socio-economic challenge.
Dr Dan Caprar
Our commitment to progressWhile our progress to date has lacked coherence and universality, our commitment to moving forward is twofold. First, we plan to conduct a curriculum mapping exercise to allow us to assess the extent of integration of PRME principles in our programs, courses and individual ‘Units of Study’. Second, we plan to initiate a faculty development program to facilitate developing the capabilities of our staff in embedding PRME principles in both learning environments and curriculum.
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Principle 4: Research
We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social environmental and economic value.
Our ‘Business not as Usual’ strategy outlines our ambition for our research to be both relevant and influential. We see our distinctiveness, in addition to imparting deep disciplinary knowledge and engaging in cutting-edge disciplinary research, as having a focus on major trends and issues – ‘mega-trends’. A focus on trends and issues, and their local and global impact, provides us with an inherently important research agenda and a fundamental basis by which we can participate in public policy debates and exercise thought leadership.
In order to achieve these research goals a number of initiatives have been supported by the University of Sydney Business School.
First, is Sydney Business Insights (SBI), a University of Sydney Business School initiative that aims to provide the business community and public, including our students, alumni, and partners with a deeper understanding of complexities and insights into major issues and trends.
SBI brings together insights from our researchers with insights from leading thinkers in industry, government and community. SBI seeks to engage and empower our community on major issues and trends by creating and co-developing resources that influence our students, alumni and business community. More information about SBI is contained in the Dialogue chapter.
− sbi.sydney.edu.au
Second, the University of Sydney Business School supports and encourages interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, cross disciplinary and multidisciplinary research and collaborations. Indeed all our hosted research groups are distinctive by the number that break traditional disciplinary boundaries
These groups receive resources and support from the University of Sydney Business School. Many also receive support from industry and government by way of grant funding or other contributions.
− sydney.edu.au/business/research/groups
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Stefan Volk, co-director of the BHMB Research Group, speaking about his research at the University of Sydney 2017 Raising the Bar event.
As an example, the Body, Heart and Mind in Business (BHMB) Research Group integrates research from the fields of management, psychology, biology, and medical sciences to build research strength and excellence in the areas of employee performance, health, and well-being. The group is multidisciplinary and interfaculty, and adopts a multimethod and multilevel approach to advance knowledge on how the human body, heart and mind interact in work settings. BHMB specifically focuses on the effects physiological and somatic factors have on how individuals and groups think, feel and behave at work; and vice versa, how the latter affects performance, health and well-being outcomes. BHMB aims to be thought leaders in research on physiological functioning and employee performance, health, and well-being in organisations. Members of this group have been awarded prestigious grant funding from the Australian Government to support their research.
In addition, the University of Sydney has a number of Multidisciplinary Initiatives (MDIs) with which the University of Sydney Business School actively engages. These six MDIs and their focus are listed below.
− Brain and Mind Centre (BMC): focuses on mental health and neuroscience.
− Charles Perkins Centre (CPC): focuses on obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
− Sydney Environment Institute (SEI): focuses on the relationship between humans and the natural world.
− The University of Sydney Nano Institute (Sydney Nano): focuses on applying nanoscience and nanotechnologies to strategically identified sectors.
− Centre for Translational Data Science (CTDS): focuses on applying data and machine learning technologies to strategically identified domains.
− Sydney Policy Lab: focuses on applying policy research and policy translation expertise to a wide number of complex societal issues
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No povertyDr Jarrod VassalloDr Jarrod Vassallo is working on projects that investigate how the microfinance industry has responded to poverty levels and natural disaster occurrences over many decades. Insights from this project can help inform policy and practice to better target those in need. Prior to joining academia in 2017 Jarrod Vassallo spent the previous 4-5 years working with BRAC (the largest NGO in the world) the Grameen Bank (joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006) and ASA (large microfinance organisation) to understand how social enterprises (in this case, microfinance organisations) make local market entry or targeting decisions. Questions include: to what extent are branches opened in poorer versus richer areas; or areas at greater or lesser risk of natural disaster (e.g., floods, droughts, storm surges). By understanding how these decisions are made, we can understand the extent to which these organisations help the poor and vulnerable.
Also working in the broad area of microfinance is the research team of Ms Lisa Marini, Associate Professor Jane Andrew and Professor Sandra van der Laan. This research is from Lisa’s PhD project entitled “Accountability and transparency surrounding microloan disclosure practices”. This project was a case study of a microfinance institution in South Africa.
Recent publications in this area − Marini L, Andrew J and van der Laan S 2017
‘Tools of Accountability: Protecting Microfinance Clients in South Africa?’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, vol.30:6, pp. 1344-69.
While the engagement and activity vary from MDI to MDI, researchers from the University of Sydney Business School are engaged in all six.Below is a showcase of how some of our academics are pursuing research and projects that directly align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Included are examples of recent publications.
ResearchOur academics
Dr Jarrod Vassallo
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Zero hungerAssociate Professor Margaret Matanda Associate Professor Margaret Matanda has engaged in research aimed at enhancing supply chain capabilities and export potential of small firms in emerging and developing markets (India and sub-Sahara Africa). Her research encompasses relational governance, marketing and export strategy, innovation, knowledge management and performance in small firms in sub-Sahara Africa.
Recent publications in this area − Matanda M 2012 ‘Internationalization of
established small manufacturers in a developing economy: A case study of Kenyan SMEs’, Thunderbird International Business Review (Special Issue: Renascent Africa), vol.54:4, pp. 509-19.
− Matanda M and Ndubisi NO 2011 ‘A comparison of interfirm relational capabilities in internationalising small-business enterprises (SBEs) and large firms in a developing country’, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, vol.13:3/4, pp. 296-313.
Good health and well-beingDr Anya Johnson and Dr Helena Nguyen Dr Anya Johnson and Dr Helena Nguyen investigate how employees regulate their emotions and cognitions in the workplace, and the relationship between the design of jobs and teams and outcomes such as engagement, wellbeing and performance.
Recent publications in this area − Mulley C, Gebel K and Ding D 2017 ‘Walking:
Connecting Sustainable Transport with Health (Volume 9)’, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, United Kingdom, pp. 427.
− Nguyen H, Johnson A, Collins C and Parker S 2017 ‘Confidence Matters: Self-efficacy Moderates the Credit that Supervisors Give to Adaptive and Proactive Role Behaviours’, British Journal of Management, vol.28:2, pp. 315-30.
− Johnson A, Nguyen H, Parker SK, Groth M, Coote S, Perry L and Way B 2017 ‘“That was a good shift”: interprofessional collaboration and junior doctors’ learning and development on overtime shifts’, Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol.31:4, pp. 471-86
− Nguyen H, Groth M and Johnson A 2016 ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Keep Working: Impact of Emotional Labor on Absenteeism’, Journal of Management, vol.42:3, pp. 615-43. Johnson A, Nguyen H, Groth M, Wang K and Ng J 2016 ‘Time to change: a review of organisational culture change in health care organisations’, Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, vol.3:3, pp. 265-88.
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Quality educationAssociate Professor Betina Szkudlarek Associate Professor Betina Szkudlarek works in the field of cross-cultural management and aims to achieve an inclusive and ethically responsible perspective on management education and training. For example, her 2013 Academy of Management Learning and Education article discusses how the aim of education moved from providing knowledge to developing and honing responsible, tolerant, and resilient global citizens.
Recent publications in this area − Wright C and Nyberg D 2016 ‘Engaging With
the Contradictions of Capitalism: Teaching “sustainability” in the business school’ in The Routledge Companion to Reinventing Management Education, ed. Chris Steyaert, Timon Beyes & Martin Parker, Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. 468-81.
− Fee A and Gray SJ 2013 ‘Transformational Learning Experiences of International Development Volunteers in the Asia-Pacific: The Case of a Multinational NGO ‘, Journal of World Business, vol.48:2, pp. 196-208.
− Szkudlarek B, McNett J, Romani L and Lane H 2013 ‘The Past, Present and Future of Cross-Cultural Management Education: The Educators’ Perspective’, Academy of Management Learning and Education, vol.12:3, pp. 477-93.
Gender equalityThe Women, Work & Leadership Research Group The Women, Work & Leadership Research Group (WW&LRG) at the University of Sydney Business School provides a focal point for collaboration between leading scholars, business practitioners and policy makers with an interest in women and work, in building more equitable workplaces and more sustainable careers for women. The WW&LRG engages closely with debates about the megatrends impacting the workforce, including the feminisation of the workforce, population ageing, flexibility and technological change and emerging issues which lead to changing expectations of employers, employees and of the organisation of work.
Recent publications in this area − Baird M, Ford M and Hill E 2017 ‘Women,
Work and Care in the Asia-Pacific’, Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom. www.routledge.com/Women-Work-and-Care-in-the-Asia-Pacific/Baird-Ford-Hill/p/book/9781138119048
− Chen M, Hao J and Baird M 2017 ‘China: The reconfiguring of Women Work and Care’ in Women, Work and Care in the Asia-Pacific, ed. Baird, M., Ford, M., & Hill, E., Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. 25-40.
− Hill E, Baird M and Ford M 2017 ‘Work/Care Regimes in the Asia-Pacific: A Feminist Framework’ in Women, Work and Care in the Asia-Pacific, ed. Baird, M., Ford, M., & Hill, E., Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. 1-22.
− Baird M 2016 ‘Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave’ in Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management, ed. A Wilkinson & S Johnstone, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, United Kingdom, pp. 276-7. www.e-elgar.com/shop/encyclopedia-of-human-resource-management
− Baird M 2016 ‘Policy Tensions: Women, Work and Paid Parental Leave’ in Industrial Relations Reform: Looking to the Future, ed. Hancock K and Lansbury R.D., Federation Press, Sydney, Australia, pp. 85-104. www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/book.asp?isbn=9781760020699
− Dancaster L and Baird M 2016 ‘Predictors of the adoption of work-care arrangements: A study of South African firms’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol.27:4, pp. 456-75.
− Good L and Cooper R 2016 ‘‘But it’s your job to be friendly!’ Young service sector employees responding to sexual harassment’, Gender, Work and Organization, vol.23:5, pp. 447-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12117
− Heron A and Charlesworth S 2016 ‘Effective protection of pregnant women at work: Still waiting for delivery?’, Australian Journal of Labour Law, vol.29:1, pp. 1-24.
− Liu H, Cutcher L and Grant D 2015 ‘Doing Authenticity: The Gendered Construction of Authentic Leadership’, Gender, Work & Organization, vol.22:3, pp. 237-55.
− Foweraker B and Cutcher L 2015 ‘Work, Age and Other Drugs: Exploring the Intersection of Age and Masculinity in a Pharmaceutical Organization’, Gender, Work and Organization, vol.22:5, pp. 459-73.
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Clean water and sanitationDr Matthew EganDr Matthew Egan’s research interests focus on water management, water accounting, water accountability, accounting in support of sustainability management initiatives, and the role for accountants in water accounting and sustainability management. Matthew’s research interests stem primarily from practical challenges emerging in industry, and the innovations and developments that occur in response to those challenges. Matthew is interested in how management in the industry draws on their accounting systems and accountants to inform water-related, and sustainability initiatives. Matthew is also interested in the practical challenges for the water sector in different countries to meet their basic objectives, and to provide accountability, and engagement with the public. Recent research that explores water management in Ghana, is also focused on learnings for public-private partnerships.
Recent publications in this area − Egan M 2018 Forthcoming ‘Sense-making
resource efficiency through ‘sustainability’ reports’, Journal of Business Ethics.
− Tan LK and Egan M 2018 Forthcoming ‘The Public Accountability Value of a Triple Bottom Line Approach to Performance Reporting in the Water Sector’, Australian Accounting Review.
− Egan M 2018 Forthcoming ‘Utilising Accounting and Accountants in the Management of Water Efficiency’, Australian Accounting Review.
− Egan M 2014 ‘Making water count: water accountability change within an Australian university’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, vol.27:2, pp. 259-82.
− Egan M 2014 ‘Progress towards institutionalising field-wide water efficiency change’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, vol.27:5, pp. 809-33.
Decent work and economic growthAssociate Professor Betina SzkudlarekAssociate Professor Betina Szkudlarek is working with a number of PhD students on global mobility and cross cultural management with a primary focus on refugees. Betina contends International Business seems to have overlooked the changing nature of global migration trends and has largely ignored an increasingly growing group of non-professionally motivated migrants. Refugees, the fastest growing group of mobile workers, are of special significance and merits definite attention as their integration poses both tremendous opportunities as well as challenges to organisations. With its elitist focus, International Business risks becoming obsolete in light of today’s migration trends. In her work she argues that the field of International Business serves well the corporate elite but underserves those that need the support most.
Recent publications in this area − Szkudlarek B and Romani L 2016
‘Professionalization through Dispersed Institutional Entrepreneurship: The case of the Intercultural Community’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol.29:1, pp. 93-107.
− Szkudlarek B and McDaniel Sumpter D 2015 ‘What, When, and with Whom? Investigating Expatriate Reentry Training with a Proximal Approach’, Human Resource Management, vol.54:6, pp. 1037–57.
− Burmeister A, Deller J, Osland J, Szkudlarek B, Oddou G and Blakeney R 2015 ‘The micro-processes during repatriate knowledge transfer: The repatriates’ perspective’, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol.19:4, pp. 735-55 .
− Nguyen L, Szkudlarek B and Seymour RG 2015 ‘Social Impact Measurement in Social Enterprises: An Interdependence Perspective’, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, vol.32:4, pp. 224-37.
− Valk R, van der Velde M M, van Engen M M and Szkudlarek B 2015 ‘Warm welcome or rude awakening? Repatriation experiences of Indian and Dutch international assignees and intention to leave the organisation’, Journal of Indian Business Research, vol.7:3, pp. 243-70.
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Industry, innovation and infrastructureDr Anna Young-Ferris Dr Anna Young-Ferris’ research program is centred on institutional investors and their integration of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) information in investment decision-making processes, particularly since the emergence of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI). Dr Young-Ferris studies the processes and practices of accounting for the ESG information and the barriers, challenges and opportunities of integrating it within well-established and mainstream investment processes.
Recent publications in this area − Young-Ferris A and O’Halloran L 2016 ‘Responsible
Investment in Australia’ in The Routledge Handbook of Responsible Investment, ed. Tessa Hebb, James Hawley, Andreas Hoepner, Agnes Neher & David Wood, Routledge, Abingdon, United Kingdom, pp. 149-65.
Reduced inequalitiesProfessor Leanne CutcherProfessor Leanne Cutcher’s research explores the benefits of working in age-diverse teams and how this can contribute to organizational innovation and impact age discrimination.
Recent publications in this area − Cutcher L and Riach K 2017 ‘Age in the City:
Embodied Ageing in Financial Services’ in Ageing, Organizations and Management: Constructive Discourses and Critical Perspectives, ed. Aaltio I, Mills AJ & Mills JH, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 161-82.
− Thomas R, Hardy C, Cutcher L and Ainsworth S 2015 ‘What’s Age Got to Do with It? On the Critical Analysis of Age and Organizations’ in Work and Organisational Psychology (SAGE Benchmarks in Psychology), ed. Gregory J Boyle, John G. O’Gorman, Gerard J. Fogarty, Sage Publications Ltd, United Kingdom
Sustainable citiesProfessor David Hensher and Professor Corinne MulleyA project conducted by Professor David Hensher is contributing to the vexed question of infrastructure planning. He argues that one of the most important features of comprehensive transport planning is an ability to identify candidate projects and policies that are value adding to the performance of transport networks and to the economy as a whole. Standard methods of identifying a shortlist of projects to assess are often qualitative in nature and/or influenced by prejudices of elected officials or their advisers without a systematic way of narrowing the many potential options to evaluate in sufficient detail a truly value adding set. This project focuses on developing new planning capabilities, called MetroScan-TI (where TI stands for Transport Infrastructure) with the ability to scan a large number of potentially worthy transport initiatives and forecast passenger and freight demand, benefit-cost ratios and long term economic impacts in a timely manner to improve the evidence base for decision-makers. A focus on bus-based systems, including BRT (light and full) as separate bus-based modes, in the broader setting of an integrated transport network encompassing existing and new transport modes such as Uber and Mobility-as-a-Service, is a central theme.
Top left: Dr Matthew EganBottom left: Professor Leanne Cutcher
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Professor Corinne Mulley is also working on flexible transport in urban and areas of low density and the connections between health and public transport. Her research is multi-disciplinary with connections to health (Charles Perkins Centre of the University where she is a co-leader of a project node and also involved with nodes researching physical activity and workplaces, wellbeing and dog ownership) and planning (connections with the School of Architecture including the Henry Halloran Trust, and academics in the Architecture School in relation to parking, electric vehicles, urban form and built environment work).
Recent publications in this area − Ellison R, Teye C and Hensher DA 2017
‘Modelling Sydney’s light commercial service vehicles’, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, vol.96, pp. 79-89.
− Mulley C, Hensher DA and Cosgrove D 2017 ‘Is rail cleaner and greener than bus?’, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, vol.51, pp. 14-28.
− Hensher DA 2017 ‘Future bus transport contracts under a mobility as a service (MaaS) regime in the digital age: Are they likely to change?’, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, vol.98, pp. 86-96.
− Ho C, Hensher DA and Ellison R 2017 ‘Endogenous treatment of residential location choices in transport and land use models: introducing the MetroScan framework’, Journal of Transport Geography, vol.64, pp. 120-31.
− Ma L, Kent JL and Mulley C 2018 ‘Transport disadvantage, social exclusion, and subjective well-being: The role of the neighborhood environment - evidence from Sydney, Australia’, Journal of Transport and Land Use, vol.11:1, pp. 31-47.
− Mulley C 2017 ‘Mobility as a Services (MaaS) – does it have critical mass?’, Transport Reviews, vol.37:3, pp. 247-51.
− Ho C, Mulley C, Tsai C, Ison S and Wiblin S 2017 ‘Area-wide travel plans - targeting strategies for greater participation in green travel initiatives: a case study of Rouse Hill Town Centre, NSW Australia’, Transportation, vol.44:2, pp. 325-52.
− Ma L, Mulley C and Liu W 2017 ‘Social Marketing and the Built Environment: What Matters for Travel Behaviour Change?’, Transportation, vol.44:5, pp. 1147-67.
Responsible consumption and productionProfessor Sandra van der LaanProfessor Sandra van der Laan has a particular interest in the accounting treatment, and subsequent organisational strategy, of entities that mine, produce (or previously did so) and market products containing asbestos.
Recent publications in this area − Moerman L and van der Laan S 2015 ‘Toxic
Products and Hazardous Waste: The Global Asbestos Issue’ in Sustainability After Rio (Developments in Corporate Governance and Responsibility, Volume 8), ed. Crowther D & Islam A, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, United Kingdom, pp. 103-20.
− Moerman L and van der Laan S 2015 ‘Exploring Shadow Accountability: The Case of James Hardie and Asbestos’, Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, vol.35:1, pp. 32-48.
− Moerman L and van der Laan S 2015 ‘Silencing the Noise: Asbestos liabilities, accounting and strategic bankruptcy’, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, vol.27, pp. 118–28.
Climate actionProfessor Chris A. WrightProfessor Chris A. Wright’s research over the last decade has focused on business responses (and contributions) to climate change. Chris is also a key researcher in the University of Sydney’s Sydney Environment Institute and leads a range of projects and public events on renewable energy reinvention and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Recent publications in this area − Klein N and Wright C 2017 ‘An Interview with
Naomi Klein: Capitalism Versus the Climate’ in Carbon Capitalism and Communication, ed. Benedetta Brevini and Graham Murdock, Palgrave Macmillan, London, United Kingdom, pp. 31-38.
− Wright C and Nyberg D 2017 ‘An Inconvenient Truth: How Organizations Translate Climate Change into Business As Usual’, Academy of Management Journal, vol.60:5, pp. 1633-61.
− Nyberg D, Wright C and Krik J 2017 ‘Re-producing a neoliberal political regime: Competing justifications and dominance in disputing fracking’, Research in the Sociology of Organisations, vol.52, pp. 143-171.
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− Nyberg D and Wright C 2016 ‘Performative and Political: Corporate Constructions of Climate Change Risk’, Organization, vol.23:5, pp. 617-38.
− Wright C and Nyberg D 2014 ‘Creative self-destruction: Corporate responses to climate change as political myths’, Environmental Politics, vol.23:2, pp. 205-223.
Peace, justice and strong institutionsProfessor Sid Gray and Professor David ChaikinProfessor Sid Gray’s research focus is on “corporate governance and transparency” with particular reference to the challenges of setting international standards of corporate transparency and accounting in a world of persistent national institutional and cultural differences.
While enhanced corporate transparency internationally is generally considered desirable, as it will enable external stakeholders to make more informed economic and social decisions with resulting benefits for economic growth and development, this has been shown to be difficult when national formal institutional structures are not sufficiently supportive and when national cultural perspectives on transparency continue to influence corporate decision making behaviour.
Sid’s research documents the extent to which national institutional and cultural factors continue to be influential and serve as inhibitors to the process of developing global standards of corporate transparency. Policy recommendations for regulators and external stakeholders at both international and national levels are developed from his empirical findings.
Professor David Chaikin from Business Law studies the impact of financial crime and the effectiveness of anti-financial crime measures on financial institutions, payment instruments and regulation. His research deals with specific aspects of financial crime, such as international fraud, corruption, tax evasion and money laundering. David is particularly interested in examining the role and impact of regulation in preventing financial crimes, and critiquing the effectiveness of the current Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism system of regulation.
Recent publications in this area − Chaikin DA 2017 ‘Virtual Currency, Money
Laundering Risks and Regulation’ in Digital Disruption: Impact on Business Models, Regulation & Financial Crime, ed. Chaikin DA and Coshott D, Australian Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 98-112.
− Chaikin DA, Kendall A and Tucker R 2017 ‘The Future of Digital Currency’ in Digital Disruption: Impact on Business Models, Regulation & Financial Crime, ed. Chaikin DA and Coshott D, Australian Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 113-24.
− Chaikin DA 2017 ‘Money Laundering and Tax Evasion-The Assisting of the Banking Sector’ in The Handbook of Business and Corruption: Cross-Sectoral Experiences, ed. Michael S. Aßländer and Sarah Hudson, Emerald Publishing Limited, United Kingdom, pp. 237-54.
− Gray SJ and Kang H 2015 ‘Accounting Transparency and International Standard Setting’ in The Oxford Handbook of Economic and Institutional Transparency, ed. J Forssbaeck and L Oxelheim, Oxford University Press, New York, United States, pp. 456-76.
Top right: Professor Sandra van der LaanBottom right: Professor Professor Sid Gray
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In addition to these highlights of researchers and publications on projects related to the SDGs, we also have a vibrant community of emerging scholars (newly completed PhDs) and higher degree research (HDR) students working on projects that are aligned with the UNPRME principles and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some examples of HDR student work is outlined below.
ResearchOur PhD and higher degree research students
Integration through value chain in the agribusiness industry in Australia and China Tamara Oyarce, PhD candidateTamara’s research focuses on understanding the impact of policy instruments in the economic integration between countries. Looking at the China-Australia FTA (ChAFTA) this examines firm behaviour when policy instruments that promote trade and investment come into effect and its impact on economic integration. It also looks at the firm perspective, identifying what is facilitating or hindering the partnership and why.
With the increased relevance of China as an emerging economy in the Asia Pacific region and Australia’ s reliance on trade and FDI from China, the research examines mechanisms to promote a sustainable and rules-based collaboration.
HRM of foreign subsidiaries and their absorptive capacity Jeannie Eun Lee, PhD CandidateJeannie argues that in dealing with the global refugee crisis, many State-actors seem to assign the roles of assisting refugees’ settlements and integrations into local workforce to NGOs and other support groups. Therefore, in many cases, roles and practices of NGOs are important factors in assisting refugees in their integrative efforts. Although it is true that the NGOs with their specialities and experiences with refugees play the prominent roles to assist, guide and lead them to certain career paths, they also serve other roles in promoting successful refugee workforce integration by influencing and advocating other stakeholders of the host society, including State-actors, businesses, support organisations, community groups and refugees themselves.
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Jeannie’s research shows that, the NGOs serve their refugee beneficiaries in order to facilitate successful workforce integration, they are often faced with difficulties intermediating between their beneficiaries and all other stakeholders, such as State-actors, community groups, workers’ unions and others. Provision of support by these NGOs do not fall into binary of “deficiency or sufficiency”, rather they are invariably imbued to act as an intermediary between refugees and mainstream society. On the one hand, NGOs endeavour to ‘empower’ refugees by equipping them with employment related materials, helping them become more confident and optimistic. On the other hand, host society and mainstream employers often resist refugees in the form of ethnocentric marginalisation. To enhance a support organisation’s capability to effectively play their steadfast roles for their beneficiaries, research suggests that industry collaboration and cross-sector partnerships has shown positive results.
In this research, in consideration of NGOs as main actors and others as influential stakeholders of the refugee workforce integration process, I hope to theorise the roles of NGOs in the realm of IB, and empirically study the influence of NGOs’ attributes and salience in practicing their roles. In doing so, my research will fully, or in part, contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, such as UN PRME No. 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10. Reduced Inequalities, and 17. Partnerships for the Goals.
Deepening of understanding of NGOs will allow scholars and practitioners to recognise the roles of and importance of NGOs in dealing with the rising international and domestic concerns. The research aims to raise alarm for all stakeholders of refugee integration processes in reflecting on their previous practices and planning for future endeavours. In doing so, not only NGOs, but also the State-actors will reflect their practices in terms of their long-standing history of refugee resettlement services.
Organisational change and the implications on strategy and performance Duc Nguyen,PhD CandidateDuc argues that in our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, many groups and organisations are involved in, affected by or have some partial responsibility to societal issues and challenges that extend beyond the traditional organizational boundaries. One such societal challenge, of global magnitude, that requires contributions by different sectorial actors across different geographies and levels, is global migration and more specifically the increasingly growing numbers of refugees worldwide. Global migration is growing, it is diverse in its causes, its routes and social effects, and indeed, poses tremendous policy challenges as well as economic opportunities to host societies. In other words, global migration directly and indirectly affects us all.
Can mergers and acquisitions drive value for cultures too Priya Roy, PhD CandidatePriya’s research project involves studying refugee integration into the workforce, including researching what the predictive factors around high refugee job turnover might be. She will be studying the gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, education, income, English skills, and other factors of refugees as well as a non-refugee control group in order to look into the reasons behind high job turnover among refugees.
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Organisational responses to employees’ eldercare responsibilities Alexandra Heron, PhD CandidateAlexandra’s thesis examines the interaction of government policy (on eldercare) with organisational policy in this area. The thesis also explores the role of line managers in mediating the relationship between government and organisation policy and employee needs. It asks how external and internal institutional and regulatory pressures and policies influence practice in organisations in relation to eldercarers’ responsibilities and how gender norms interact with these. This work is timely as there is currently little known about how, (and how effectively), organisations are responding to employee eldercare responsibilities in Australia at a time when eldercare needs are increasing
Our commitment to progressWe will develop a webpage showcasing our research and research students organised in alignment with PRME principles and SDGs rather than by disciplinary expertise.
We will encourage research aligned with PRME principles and SDGs by developing support programs that prioritise these.
We will develop indicators to measure the impact of our PRME related research beyond traditional academic measures (e.g. citations).
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Principle 5: Partnerships
We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges.
In a highly competitive market for meaningful industry engagement opportunities it is essential to continue to build and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with industry across a wide range of sectors and on a wide range of challenges, including meeting social and environmental responsibilities.
With more than 13,500 students studying undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, the Business School’s vision for developing future-ready graduates pivots on providing every pre-experience student with meaningful and scaffolded exposure to authentic organisational processes and projects throughout their degree. A key enabler for meeting this objective is developing strong and mutually beneficial external partnerships across a wide range of different industry sectors, including corporate, government and not for profit organisations.
Working closely with industry partners integrates contemporary expertise and practical business experience within students’ learning and the Business School’s ongoing curriculum development. The Methods chapter contains examples of how the Business School is partnering with organisations to offer students work-integrated learning experiences related to social and environmental challenges, such as the Remote and Rural Enterprise program and the Thrive projects.
What follows is a selection of examples of where we have partnered with organisations and wider stakeholders on challenges related to the PRME principles and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Cultural diversity in leadership vital to Australia’s futureThe University of Sydney Business School and the Australian Human Rights Commission have joined forces in an effort to provide non-Anglo Australians with the skills to reach the top in business, government and civil society organisations.
The Business School and the Commission recently conducted the first in what is expected to be a series of executive education forums for already established leaders who will act as advocates and ambassadors for cultural diversity.
“The three day forum covered negotiating and influencing skills and issues such as cultural difference and cultural conflict,” said Professor Robin Stonecash, the Business School’s Director of Executive Education. “Importantly, it also looked at what it is to be an Australian and to do business here.”
The joint diversity program comes in the wake of Business School research which found that no more than five per cent of leadership positions in business politics, government and civil society are held by people with non-European cultural backgrounds.
The findings were published last year in a report titled Leading for Change: A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership, which was co-authored by the Human Rights Commission, the Business School, Westpac, PwC and Telstra.
“Leadership in business, politics, government and civil society is failing to reflect Australia’s cultural diversity and our institutions are under performing as a result”, said the Dean of the Business School, Professor Greg Whitwell, at the time of publication.
Professor Whitwell’s concern about the lack of cultural diversity in leadership and its impact on performance has since been echoed by Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Tim Soutphommasane.
Speaking after the launch of the diversity in leadership course, Dr Soutphommasane said the fact that “cultural diversity remains under-represented within the senior leadership of Australian organisations raises questions about whether we are making the most of our society’s talents”.
Organisations supporting the joint initiative include the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, Woolworths, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Clayton Utz, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, Attorney-General’s Department (Commonwealth), Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Reserve Bank of Australia, NSW Police, QLD Police, NSW iCare, Thermo Fisher, and Chartered Accountants ANZ.
The 27 participants in the initial forum will complete the program in March 2018.
“We need to be more inclusive,” concluded Professor Stonecash. “We know that organisations that have more diversity perform better. What we are doing in this program is giving a voice to people who have a great deal to offer their organisations. This will benefit not only these organisations but the community and economy as well.”
Below: Participants in the Australian Human Rights Commission program delivered by the University of Sydney Business School.
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Sustainable Development Goals Australia 2016 Conference Written by Andrew Petersen, CEO, Sustainable Business Australia Along with the University of Sydney Business School, the Convenors of SDGA16 were the Australian Council for International Development, the Australian Council of Social Service, the Australian Council for Trade Unions, the Banksia Foundation, CDP, Good Environmental Choice Australia, the National Farmers Federation, the NSW Council of Social Service, Oxfam Australia, Sustainable Business Australia, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Asia – Pacific and the WWF – Australia.
Over the two days of the Conference, 352 delegates debated, discussed and deliberated 17 individual sessions on each of the SDGs, exploring the issues and opportunities for the Australian community. Six Side Events as well 12 Presentations by 66 Finalists to the Banksia Awards were also convened during a busy two days ‘on campus’.
Deputy Dean Professor Elizabeth Cowley gave a welcome from the Business School to the Conference delegates, highlighting the engaged and collaborative role that the Business School increasingly has with government, business and NGO community across Australia.
The Institute for Transport and Logistics Studies collaborated on the SBA Mobility Side Event, held on Day 1 of the Conference. PhD Candidate Yale Wong was one of four leading speakers at the side event.
A Synthesis Report of the key issues, outputs and recommendations that were made at the Conference will be issued in 2018, and it will feature an acknowledgement of the Business School’s role in the Conference.
Andrew Petersen
Social Good Summit AustraliaThe Social Good Summit Australia is a one-day conference examining the impact of social good initiatives around the world.
Held on October 15th 2016 at University of Sydney, the Social Good Summit Australia united a dynamic community of leaders from Not for Profits, Corporations, Government, Universities and Industry bodies as well as grassroots contributors to discuss solutions for the greatest challenges of our time.The second Australian Summit followed the New York Social Good Summit, which is held every year since 2010 to coincide with and expand the conversations of the September meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. The summit is part of a global effort to drive global social change by creating awareness and inspiring others to act under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The 2016 theme, #2030NOWAU, asked the question, “What type of world do I want to live in by the year 2030?”
Kelly McJannett, current University of Sydney Business School MBA student and CEO of Food Ladder, speaking at Social Good Summit Australia.
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UN Women National Committee AustraliaThe Business School and UN Women NC Australia joined forces in 2014 in a shared effort to promote gender equality at the most senior levels of the nation’s public, corporate and not-for-profit sectors, and in a united goal to further women’s education.
Our partnership with UN Women NC Australia has made it possible for nine inspiring women to undertake either the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA). The calibre of our recipients is a true testament to the work being done by these women to advance gender equality and make an impact in their communities through their expertise and influence.
In 2015, our MBA program became the first in the country, and one of the first in the world, to admit more females than males – a considerable achievement considering women average between 30 and 35 percent of MBA participants.
Katie Moore, Strategic Projects Officer, Indigenous Business Australia (MBA student) Katie Moore is our most recent UN Women NC Australia MBA Scholarship recipient. She describes herself as a proud Wiradjuri woman from Western Sydney, and believes that the tourism industry in regional areas has the ability transform the lives of Indigenous Australians through employment, training and economic development.
Her bachelor’s degree is in international tourism management, and she is now driving strategic projects with Indigenous Business Australia which assists Indigenous Australians to buy their own homes, establish successful businesses and invest in profitable commercial ventures.
“Through IBA I have observed that there is a great need for innovation and an ability to deliver social and economic solutions to all Australians. Through the MBA I hope to develop new knowledge and understandings of how business can have an impact, particularly in regional Australia.”
Katie Moore
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UNPRME Australia and New Zealand ChapterThe University of Sydney Business School has been an active member of the Australia and New Zealand Chapter since joining UNPRME in 2016.
Dr Anna Young-Ferris represented the Business School at the 2017 Global Forum for Responsible Management Education in New York, forming networks with more established UNPRME signatories and looking at how to integrate the 17 SDGs into the global Business School curricula. Representatives from the University of Sydney Business School also attended the annual regional meeting at Deakin University in December 2017, and signed the ‘Established Chapter’ governing documents.
Our commitment to progressThe University of Sydney Business School is developing an External Engagement Strategy which aligns with the overall ‘Business Not As Usual’ strategy and the PRME principles. This plan will focus on the continuing development of relationships with corporate organisations, government and the not-for-profit sector, both in Australia and internationally, in order to establish mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with industry and investment in the education of the business leaders of tomorrow. We will continue to strengthen our existing partnerships and look to forge new partnerships with organisations that can challenge our students on issues relating to the PRME principles and the SDGs.
The Australia and New Zealand Chapter group photo.
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Principle 6: Dialogue
We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organisations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability.
As mentioned in the Purpose chapter, the University of Sydney Business School is striving to be an influential voice on major issues and trends. As outlined in our Strategy, “the Business School must be a vehicle by which we can help others understand and respond to the complex forces of change enveloping all of us.”
We are proud that a number of our alumni are now working on PRME-related issues, and highlight a few examples here.
As noted in this chapter, in 2017 we launched a new strategic initiative “Sydney Business Insights”, an online platform which fosters a dialogue on PRME-related topics.
Tackling the world’s biggest problems with social enterpriseWritten by Hugh Whalan (BCom (Liberal Studies) ’06) CEO, PEG AfricaThe problems facing the world’s poorest consumers are large and complex. If we have any hope of reaching the four billion people who lack safe access to water, energy and housing, we need all the resources we can possibly muster.
In 2014 I co-founded PEG Africa to sell products and services, including solar home energy systems, to underserved consumers in West Africa. Since then we have reached close to 200,000 people with our products, employing 600 people in two countries and raising $25 million from investors in the process. Our customers tend to be illiterate farmers and fishermen, who live in mud huts with thatched roofs, far from paved roads, electricity and running water, and earn between $5 and $10 a day.
My co-founder and I are among a group of social entrepreneurs in Africa who are building a business model that serves some of the poorest people on the planet while producing a financial return that can attract significant capital. Given the hugely positive change we’re bringing to our customers’ lives, it’s surprising to me how often I get challenged about our for-profit approach.
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While these questions are well intentioned, I initially found them unsettling because they go far beyond healthy scepticism about the business model itself. They made me doubt whether I should be working within this market at all.
While I have stayed the course, I sometimes fear that other budding social entrepreneurs may choose the path of least resistance and start up in developed markets that need them less. The absolute worst thing that could happen for the poorest people on earth is for the next generation of superstar entrepreneurs to end up in Silicon Valley rather than trying to address the problems of the four billion people who need them the most.
− pegafrica.com
Hugh Whalan has established several energy and financing businesses in West Africa over the past decade. He has been recognised as one of Australia’s Top 30 under 30 entrepreneurs and, in 2015, was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Kwame outside of his home in the Eastern Region of Ghana]
Above: Hugh Whalan (left) and co-founder Nate Heller (right) celebrating after raising their last funding round.
Top right: Kwame says the solar light allows him to study at night.
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Leading from the trenches Vanessa Suen is working with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) to encourage intercultural dialogue and interfaith harmony. Through programs such as the Youth Solidarity Fund, UNAOC provides seed funding and support to youth-led organisations and projects that are working towards a more peaceful and socially inclusive world. As Project Management Specialist (Youth and Innovation), Vanessa is collaborating with grassroots organisations to pioneer solutions for global challenges.
While there is a perception that innovation is a new concept to
a giant bureaucracy like the UN, Vanessa has not found that to be the case. She also believes that her background in private-sector consulting, which taught her to be aware of the context in which you are operating, is proving very beneficial in navigating diverse cultural and geographical situations.
“I think leaders today have to be authentic,” she says. “They need to be in the trenches and believe in what they do, to convince other people of their mission. We want to understand and trust their motivations, and know they are empathetic to the cause.”
Vanessa Suen Project Management Specialist (Youth and Innovation), UNAOC
Current location: New York, USNationality: Australian Languages spoken: English, Cantonese and Bislama Graduation Year: 2012
DialogueConnecting our global community
Celebrating the impact of our management graduates, locally and around the world.
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The global health revolution As Global Project Manager in Public Affairs with a focus on Consumer Healthcare, Martin Reyre is helping Sanofi to empower consumers to live healthier lives and better manage their wellbeing through the development and implementation of Sanofi’s strategy, engagement and activation of external stakeholders.
Martin says being able to manage a project from scratch at global, regional and local levels in such a big corporation has been a fantastic opportunity. At the same time, he says, the consumer healthcare industry is on the brink of being disrupted, with mergers and acquisitions booming, global and industry trends leading to a significant shift in the role of healthcare professionals and new technology impacting traditional business models every day.
“It’s really exciting to be part of the ongoing revolution and think about how we can solve these great challenges,” Martin says.
“More and more companies also understand that they have to accept the challenge of responding to growing social and environmental pressures. In my opinion, ‘greenwashing’ CSR campaigns will not suffice in the future. In an increasingly open, digital world, authenticity, an agile mindset and a high level of cultural intelligence are more crucial than ever.”
Martin ReyreGlobal Project Manager, Public Affairs Consumer Healthcare – Europe, Africa Eurasia and the Middle East, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare
Current location: Brussels, Belgium Nationality: French Languages spoken: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese Graduation year: 2016
Martin Reyre
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Driving social change across borders Lorenn Ruster was part of the founding team that co-created PwC’s Indigenous Consulting (PIC) in 2013. Today, the team has grown to around 50 strong, working across seven locations. As Senior Manager, Lorenn assists in providing a range of consulting services to help realise the potential of Indigenous policies, programs, projects, organisations and businesses.
PIC is a unique organisation, and Lorenn says she’s spurred on by working towards positive, real and lasting change. This passion has extended to a multitude of projects, in and outside her traditional role.
In 2014, she took time out to pursue her interests in technology for social change by joining the
Singularity University Global Solutions Program for 10 weeks in NASA Ames, Silicon Valley. She has worked in emerging markets with Pollinate Energy as part of its Professionals Program in India, and most recently, took a one-year leave of absence to become a Global Fellow with impact-investor Acumen, where she set up a marketing function in a growing solar energy social enterprise in Uganda.
“I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by really interesting and diverse people who each have their own passions,” says Lorenn. “Continuing to engage with these communities online and in person keeps me thinking outside the square and engaged in emerging trends.”
Lorenn Ruster Senior Manager, PwC’s Indigenous Consulting
Current location: Sydney, Australia Nationality: Australian Languages spoken: English and French Graduation year: 2011
Lorenn Ruster
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Sydney Business InsightsSydney Business Insights is a University of Sydney Business School initiative aiming to provide the business community and public, including our students, alumni, and partners with deeper understanding of complexities and insights into major issues and trends.
The Business School’s commitment to being engaged, relevant and an influential voice on major issues and trends requires that we look at how the world is changing.
The School has identified six megatrends with complex impacts on business, economies, individuals and society: impactful technology, evolving communities, rapid urbanisation, empowering individuals, economic power shift and resource security. These megatrends tie in closely with the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The School seeks to engage and empower our community by creating and co-developing resources that expose our students, alumni and business community on major issues and trends.
SBI creates resources that are free to read, watch or listen to; to share or republish; make ideas accessible and encourage conversation.
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Some of the PRME-related insights include:
− Is business the answer to poverty alleviation? Podcast with Ranjit Voola
− Urban impact entrepreneurship podcast with May Samali (Alumni)
− What is business for? Podcast with Rae Cooper and Ranjit Voola
− Our big cities are engines of inequality, so how do we fix that? Article by Somwrita Sarkar, Peter Phibbs and Roderick Simpson
− The human side of energy security podcast with Jane Le
− Refugees are helping others in their situation as social entrepreneurs article by Jarrod Ormiston
− Putting cities back into ‘smart cities’ podcast with Tooran Alizadeh
− The toll road journey – are we there yet (part 1) article by David Hensher
− The toll road journey – are we there yet (part 2) article by David Hensher
− Making social innovation happen podcast with Jarrod Ormiston
− Turnbull’s government must accept responsibility for delivering an equitable NBN for all Australians article by Tooran Alizadeh
− Reimagining the digital workplace article by Natalie Hardwicke (PhD Research scholarship recipient)
− Are generational categories a myth? A podcast with Steven Hitchcock
− Why we can’t rely on corporations to save us from climate change article by Christopher Wright and Daniel Nyberg
− “Growing food in the post-truth era” article by Alana Mann
− The future of work for Gen Y & Z article by Steven Hitchcock
− Explainer: how wage growth contributes to the economy article by Graham White
− A tale of two systems – the future of healthcare by Sydney Business Insights
− Megatrends – Resource security video − Megatrends – Rapid urbanisation video
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Discussions of weekly news on “The Future, This Week” (Sydney Business Insights podcast) including topics aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as:
− Can we fight climate change by moving to the city? − Cities are outbidding each other
for the new Hyperloop − The big tech companies are spending
heavily to inject machine intelligence into much of the global economy
− Is renewable energy cheaper than coal energy? − What might be the real effects from
ride-sharing companies like Uber? − China bans 24 different types of rubbish as
part of its “National Sword” campaign − Germany’s ethical rules for autonomous vehicles − IBM Watson’s health problems - AI that
supposedly fights cancer − Google performing experiments on cities − Apple-picking robots that could eventually
be adapted to harvest other fruits − A story of urbanisation, population
growth and kerb appeal − China building the digital Silk Road
Our commitment to progressThe Business School will continue to build on the success of Sydney Business Insights, and to look at fundamentally new ways of researching and understanding the future. In 2018-2019 Sydney Business Insights will look to work with Practitioners in Residence, and launch a Chinese version of the platform.
We will also offer support to student clubs and societies which centre on PRME-related issues.
For more informationAll Sydney Business Insights content, podcasts and videos can be found on our website:
− sbi.sydney.edu.au
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Environmental sustainabilityThe University of Sydney is finding ways to operate more sustainably through a range of practical strategies. We have prioritised energy and water consumption, waste management, recycling and transport as key areas for improvement.
Sustainable built environmentOur Sustainability Framework ensures our built environment is resource efficient, operationally cost-effective and provides improved environmental, economic and social benefits to student, staff and surrounding communities.
Our current projects include:
− A solar water system and green roof for the Australian Institute of Nanoscience
− Rainwater reuse and a rooftop solar photovoltaic system in the Abercrombie Precinct
− Rainwater reuse, 200 cycle parking spaces, a solar photovoltaic system, rooftop gardens and a community garden in the Queen Mary Building
Organisational practices
We understand that our own organisational practices should serve as example of the values and attitudes we convey to our students.
In this chapter we highlight some of the key environmental and social sustainability programs that are managed by the University of Sydney.
− sydney.edu.au/about-us/vision-and-values/sustainability.html
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Resource efficiencyTo help us benchmark progress, we capture and report on our consumption, waste generation and carbon emissions across our campuses. We are also implementing a system to monitor energy and water consumption across our buildings in real time.Water is a precious resource and essential in maintaining our natural landscapes, which are an important part of our campuses. Our water conservation initiatives include:
− smart irrigation technologies − water-sensitive urban design
to manage stormwater − minimum water-efficiency standards for
new buildings and refurbishments − rainwater harvesting systems in new buildings
Transport and mobilityTo help reduce the impact of motor vehicles, we’re developing a transport and mobility plan to create a more accessible, pedestrian-friendly environment.
The plan aims to promote walking, cycling and public transport to reduce single-occupancy car trips and the number of vehicles on our campus, and better manage car parking demand.
Social sustainabilityThe University of Sydney supports a range of activities to ensure everyone is accepted and has equal opportunities when it comes to education and employment at the University.
Gender equityThe University is committed to equal representation and opportunity for all, and we encourage women to aspire to senior leadership roles at all levels of our community.
Implemented in 2015, the Women’s Career Acceleration and Leadership Strategy (WCALS) defines the University’s commitment to improving women’s representation in leadership roles and the various actions taken to achieve this.
− sydney.edu.au/about-us/vision-and-values/diversity/women-at-sydney.html
The strategy is designed to accelerate representation of women at all levels and addresses several key areas:
− developing the capability of our leaders to lead inclusively
− setting female representation targets, and implementing and building strategies at local levels
− providing career support and flexible career pathways
− investigating pay equity − consistently implementing and managing
flexible working arrangements.
We also hold an annual symposium – Women at Sydney: share, connect, change. Each year the symposium agenda includes inspiring talks, panel discussions and thought-provoking content presented by leaders from across the University to showcase, support and empower career success for women.
Faculties and professional service units have also been given the task of developing action plans to address gender balance within local areas. Meeting these targets is now a key performance indicator for leaders and managers.
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Ally NetworkThe University established an Ally Network to support the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) members of our community, and show our commitment to creating a stronger and more inclusive environment.The aim of the Ally Network is for all members of the University community to feel supported and free to contribute their best, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
The Ally Network: − helps to create a welcoming, safe and
supportive environment for everyone who identifies as LGTBIQ
− promotes cultural change and support our commitment to creating a stronger and more inclusive community by raising LGBTIQ awareness
− challenges homophobia and homophobic attitudes and behaviours
− gives LGBTIQ staff and students a voice by providing a channel to raise concerns and issues to the University leadership
− celebrates important LGBTIQ calendar events throughout the year.
Wingara Mura-Bunga BarrabuguThe University of Sydney’s Indigenous strategy, Wingara Mura-Bunga Barrabugu, outlines our commitment to creating higher education and leadership opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and for valuing Indigenous culture.
We offer a range of initiatives to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples who dream of studying with us, including our pre-tertiary outreach program, alternative entry pathways and scholarships and other financial support.
Our services and facilities also include study spaces, academic workshops, ongoing tuition and accommodation support, as well as mentoring and other networks for new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students settling into university life.The Wingara Mura Leadership Program aims to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples working as academics and professionals across the University and supporting their career development.
Cultural competence is a major priority in our 2016-20 Strategy as we strive to make Sydney a truly inclusive, culturally diverse and distinctively Australian university where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are part of our identity.
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The University of Sydney Business School’s commitment to the UNPRME initiative reflects our drive to build awareness of, illuminate, and suggest responses to, the emerging opportunities, problems and challenges that will feature in current and future business environments. We will be a business school that is socially conscious and committed to making people’s lives better, helping business be a force for good and a champion of diversity, sustainability and ethical decision making.
Contact ussydney.edu.au/business
For queries relating to this report please [email protected]
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Produced by the University of Sydney Business School, the University of Sydney, February 2018. The University reserves the right to make alterations to any information contained within this publication without notice.